The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Sunday hit out at the Lieutenant Governor-led Jammu and Kashmir UT administration, saying the authorities tried to prevent the people from joining the Bharat Jodo Yatra but people defied all hurdles to take part in the Yatra.

In an exclusive chat with The Kashmir Pulse, the Congress leader said that it is a historic moment that Rahul Gandhi unfurled the tricolour at Lal Chowk as it was the location where Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, unfurled the Indian national flag in 1948, shortly after the country gained independence from the British Empire.

"The leadership of Rahul Gandhi is now established with the historic Bharat Jodo Yatra, which no one can question and all those people who spoke ill about him stand isolated. This Yatra was not about politics but to unite the country," he said when asked about the impact of the Yatra.

He went on to state, "I acknowledge the courage of Kashmiri people who participated in the Yatra in large numbers."

SRINAGAR — The national spokesperson of the Indian National Congress, Supriya Shrinate on Sunday said that the enthusiasm of people at Lal Chowk defeated the idealogy of hatred propagated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In an exclusive conversation with The Kashmir Pulse, Supriya Shrinate said that hatred is bound to be defeated and love and truth are what bring people together, and therefore come out victorious.

"The message of love spread by Bharat Jodo Yatra has resonated very well with the people of India. The Yatra might have ended in physical form but the issues of unemployment, inflation, poverty, the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few, and the atmosphere of hatred will continue to be fought with the same zeal," Supriya added.

She went on to state, "BJP spread a lot of lies about the Bharat Jodo Yatra but the truth came out every time and as Rahul Gandhi says that truth is like sunshine which can be shrouded by clouds for some time but eventually pierces through these."

When asked about the impact of the Yatra, Supriya said that the opposition is united and a united opposition is what will eventually take up all the issues facing our people with all the more intensity.

In her message to Kashmiri people, she said that the Congress party will try its best to safeguard the trust that people have expressed by participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in huge numbers.

SRINAGAR — Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi unfurled the national flag at Lal Chowk in Srinagar city in the presence of his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders, and marked the end of the foot-march that began on September 7 last year.

An unnamed official, quoted by the news agency KNS, said that Rahul Gandhi hoisted the national flag at Srinagar's iconic Lal Chowk in presence of sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders. Pertinently, Sunday marks the last walking day of the Yatra.

Earlier, prominent leaders like PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah joined Gandhi, along with his sister Priyanka in Awantipora and Banihal, respectively.

Notably, the Kanyakumari to Kashmir Yatra started from the southern tip of the country on September 7 and ends on January 30 in Srinagar, some 145 days and nearly 4,000 km later.

Rahul Gandhi’s tricolour hoisting in Lal Chowk shows drastic change in J&K: Ravinder Raina

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) J&K President, Ravinder Raina on Sunday said the hoisting of tricolour in Lal Chowk by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shows a drastic change in Jammu and Kashmir post abrogation of Article 370.

Raina said that hoisting the tricolour in Srinagar clearly shows a drastic change in the ground situation in J&K and added, “All credit goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s able leadership for this gross change.”

“It took Congress and its leaders 70 years to hoist the national flag in Lal Chowk. If Rahul Gandhi hoisted tricolour today, it happened only due to the bold leadership of PM Narendra Modi”, Raina said.

Praising the efforts of PM Modi, the BJP leader said the way PM Modi assaulted anti-national elements and rejuvenate the lost confidence among the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “The PM Modi restored peace and brotherhood in J&K post-abrogation of Article 370 and 35(A), then it became possible for Rahul Gandhi-like leaders to come and hoist the flag in J&K,” Raina said.

While criticizing the Congress leadership, Raina said, “No Congress leader dared till date to hoist the national flag in Lal Chowk. Be it Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Raju Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi who headed United Progressive Alliance (UPA) for 10 years but no one among them dared to ensure peace in J&K and hoist tricolour here.”

He hailed PM Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah for bringing peace to J&K and added, “After the eco-system of anti-national elements stood collapsed, Rahul Gandhi felt the need to visit Kashmir valley and hoist the tricolour here.”

“Had there been a Congress government, the hoisting of the tricolour in Lal Chowk would not have been possible,” Raina added.

SRINAGAR — Established in the 1960s, the journey of Kashmir’s Food Street known as ‘Bati Gali’ in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk is almost coming to an end with more than 30 percent of shopkeepers shutting down their outlets.

Several owners of the outlet at Food Street told the news agency KNO that they are witnessing a drastic decline in their sales after the government shifted nearby bus yards to Srinagar outskirts.

Food Street president and one of the owners, Yasir Dharma, said that the street was known for its clean, hygienic, and cheap food but that they are not hopeful that Food Street would survive in the coming years because of the decline in consumers.

“The Food Street comprises about 18-19 food shops of which around 12 are functional now while many shop owners have closed down their outlets. This situation developed with the shifting of nearby mini bus, bus and Sumo terminals from the area,” he said.

Dharma said that their elders at Food Street had highlighted the concern with those who were then at the helm of affairs about shifting of bus yards but no attention was given to their pleas.

Once an owner of an outlet, Khursheed Ahmad Mir now works as an employee at his neighbour's shop on Food Street after business declined.

Nisar Ahmad, one of the food shop owners, recalled that the food street used to be jam-packed but now they are competing with each other in inviting customers to their shops. He said they are struggling and if the situation continues like this, they would not be able to sustain more.

With the decline in sales, the outlet owners clean and carry out maintenance of the street from their own pockets despite paying rent to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation. The shopkeepers said none visited them for carrying out repairs after the devastating deluge in 2014.

The decline in footfall of people has also led to curtailment in food menus. Earlier, a variety of dishes, veg as well as non-veg, were served on Food Street at a cheap rate.

A plate of vegetables with rice is served at Rs 50 and non-veg at Rs 150 onwards, depending on the mutton dishes one eats. The affordable menu with a variety of dishes including Kashmir Wazwan would invite both locals as well as tourists.

SRINAGAR — Amid Jammu militant attack, security forces have tightened their grip within and around the Srinagar city. Large numbers of security personnel from police and paramilitary were seen monitoring key areas within the city and conducting random checks of vehicles and pedestrians alike.

Sources involved with the operation stated that while these random checks and frisking were part of regular security drills conducted from time to time, further deployment of additional security forces at prime locations around city hub Lal Chowk and the areas around the city centre has also been done.

Locals said that troopers check their identity cards, search pockets, vehicle and other valuables they carry. “We want such unnecessary moves that put common pubic to immense hardships must end immediately,” they said.

Female folk were also frisked by female Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constables passing through the city centre Lal Chowk. While there was no resistance, some women expressed resentment, saying the exercise could have been done away from the public glare.

“Searches of our vehicles and frisking of whatever we carry have become part of our life over the past few days. Not only this, but they (CRPF personnel) also infringe their limits by seeking documents like driving licenses, identity cards, ownership certificates of vehicles, registration certificates etc, which is none of their business,” eyewitnesses said.

SRINAGAR — Dog menace apart, people in the city of Srinagar are facing yet another nuisance in the form of non-local beggars who have taken positions at various important points in the city, especially in the commercial hub, Lal Chowk.

Invoking the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Beggary Act, 1960, the government imposed a ban on begging in 2018. An order issued in this regard by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar directed police to arrest any person found soliciting alms in public and at religious places or other private premises.

However, from Lal Chowk to Mughal Gardens, along the banks of the world-famous Dal Lake, hundreds of beggars could be seen begging. The pestering beggars have made the movement of people on the roads difficult. These beggars move fearlessly, catching many pedestrians off guard and are often seen pestering people to succumb to their demands even as policemen watch them.

While men usually prefer to remain away from the city and beg in small towns, women along with their children beg in the city.

The traders around the commercial hub Lal Chowk blame the government for its failure to curb the growing menace of begging. “Due to the fear of beggars, sometimes customers avoid visiting our showrooms as they (beggars) irk them. These beggars demand money in such a way that it seems like somebody is taking back his/her money forcibly from a borrower,” said Nazir Wani, who owns a showroom on posh Residency Road.

A non-local girl, who was seen begging outside Pratap Park, said she came here along with her father. “I am a Muslim. I was studying at a local Madrassa in my village in Rajasthan. A Kashmiri, we call him contractor, told my Papa to come to Kashmir for a job. The contractor took Rs 5000 from us and brought us here. We don’t know where he (contractor) is now. We are now begging here as we have no other work to do,” she said.

“The un-hygienic living pattern of migrant beggars is another concern as it results in the spread of communicable and infectious diseases. Wherever the migrant beggars get settled, the atmosphere of that area gets polluted by the waste,” Wani complained.

A rough survey shows around 100 non-local beggars, most of them children, are stationed at various points from Regal Chowk to Amira Kadal. Most of them are from Rajasthan and its adjoining states.

"I try to avoid them on roads but they operate in groups and if one lets you go, another catches hold of you," said one Mudasir Ali, pointing towards a group of beggars at M.A Road.

In addition to the non-local beggars, these days many non-locals carrying receipt books can be seen collecting donations in the name of building Masjids and Madrasas. “I am collecting donations for a Masjid to be built in Uttar Pradesh,” said a man, who introduced himself as Umar from Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh.

Asked what made him come to Kashmir, he said, “I had heard that Kashmiris are generous and in the past month, I have come to know they really are.”

Srinagar administration admits existence of beggars’ mafia

Admitting the existence of the beggars’ mafia within the district, the district administration Srinagar on Monday said that action is being taken against the people who are found soliciting alms in public places.

As per the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO), talking to reporters on the sidelines of the function here at Nishat, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar, Muhammad Aijaz Asad said that the health care infrastructure in the district is best compared to the rest of Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that even the Public Health Centres (PHCs) here are far more advanced than other parts, however, added that some complaints are being received from the health care facilities and immediate action is being taken for the wellbeing of people.

Asked about the presence of beggars despite the ban on begging, DC admitted the existence of the beggars’ mafia here. "Action was and is being taken against them," he said.